"Shoot. They're coming over here."
He felt his heartbeat kick up, knew he was about to lose her, that she was about to disappear from his life as quickly as she'd come into it, but then her hands moved to his, her slender fingers strong and sure, her blue/green eyes clear and beautiful as she tilted her face up to his.
"Yes, Cole, I'll marry you."
This time he was the one floundering. "You--you will?"
"Yes. I will." She shot another quick glance at the three women advancing on them. "But we need to leave right now or it isn't going to happen."
And the next thing he knew, his innocent angel was pulling him across the dance floor, through the throngs of people, and out through the casino so fast that even the paps didn't have time to catch a shot of them...on the way to their wedding.
Chapter Three
"Welcome to Cupid's Wedding Chapel. How may I help you?"
Anna was more than a little surprised by the question. They were in a Vegas chapel at eleven at night. Was there something other than marriage on the menu?
"We want to get married," she blurted, the words all sliding into one another in her haste to get them said.
Cole shot her a half-surprised, half-amused glance and she sucked in a breath as she took in his beautiful face. Oh God, was she really doing this? Was she really about to marry a man that she didn't know anything about apart from his first name?
She shot a glance at his face, her eyes automatically going to his mouth. No, that wasn't true. She knew how well he kissed. That the merest touch of his lips to hers, the slow slide of his tongue against hers, had her wanting things she hadn't even known were out there for the taking.
Thrill bumps ran up and down her skin as he brushed his thumb across her palm, again and again in a circle that had her practically panting with lust. Truthfully, she still hadn't gotten used to holding his hand. From the moment they'd left the club, down the back street behind the casino to the nearest chapel, he hadn't let go.
Holding his hand shouldn't have been such a big deal--and really, it wasn't. The thing was, Anna loved holding hands. Really, really loved it. Almost more than she liked sex, in fact.
There was just something about being connected to another person like that. Joining with them and not having to let go, not even in public. And it was so deliciously tactile, especially when Cole's hands were so big and warm and slightly hard across the top layer of his skin.
The way he held her hand in his made her feel, well, precious. Cared for. Even though she knew it really didn't mean anything. It was just his way of guiding her down the street, of claiming her in front of the chapel attendant.
And, God help her, she couldn't stop imagining what it would feel like to have those hands of his moving across her bare skin. Her br**sts peaked beneath her silk bra, the vee between her thighs growing even warmer.
The chapel attendant cut into her lusty thoughts with, "A wedding! Wonderful. If you'll just come over here to pick out your package, we can get started."
Cole held her still in his arms and another delicious shiver ran through her. She'd always been a firm believer in women taking care of themselves--heck, that's what she had done for the past decade--but she couldn't deny that there was something really seductive about being held firm by strong hands.
Almost helpless against the newly sensual bend of her thoughts, Anna had to wonder just how Cole's strength would play out in the bedroom.
The bedroom he'd promised he was taking her to tonight, married or not.
Cole's response came in that dangerously sexy voice, low and confident. "We'll take the best package you've got."The wiry, smiling man nodded. "Certainly, sir. And how are you doing tonight, ma'am?"
Anna smiled as brightly as she could around the knot of nerves tightening her stomach muscles.
"Fine, thanks."
"Only fine? On your wedding night?" The man winked at Cole. "Well, we'll have to do our very best to change that, won't we?"
Cole's hand tightened on hers and she quickly said, "Actually, I'm great. Amazing.
Phenomenal." She knew she was babbling, but she wasn't sure how to stop now that she was on a roll. "Who wouldn't be thrilled about marrying Cole?"
The wiry man studied Cole for a long moment before nodding. "Yes. He looks like he'll make a wonderful husband."
Anna automatically turned her gaze to Cole. He looked like he couldn't decide whether to yell...or laugh. And yet, even as a vein in his neck throbbed under their combined perusal, Anna found herself silently agreeing with the man helping them to get married.
Cole really did look like he was going to make a wonderful husband.
Why she thought that, she didn't know, especially since she had no data whatsoever to back it up--apart from his kissing prowess, that was--but there was no denying his strength, his rock-steady composure even in a Las Vegas chapel during a spur-of-the-moment wedding.
"We need a ring."
Both Anna and the man behind the counter jumped at Cole's commanding tone.
They needed a ring. A wedding ring.
Deep breaths, that's what she needed. One after the other until the right amount of oxygen returned to her brain.
"Of course, sir." The man reached under the counter and pulled out a velvet box. "Here is our selection."
Cole all but growled his displeasure when they looked inside. "No."
"Sir?"
Cole didn't answer. He simply pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. "James. I need a diamond ring. No less than five." He turned his attention back to her for a brief moment. "What ring size are you?"
She looked down at her ringless hand. "I don't know."
"Excuse me, sir," the chapel attendant said, "but I can guarantee that she's a six." He smiled at her. "I've been doing this for a very long time."
Cole spoke into his phone again. "Six." After a short pause, he said. "No, that's unacceptable. Five minutes ago." He looked up at the sign on the wall. "Cupid's Wedding Chapel, behind the Wynn." He put the phone back in his pocket. "The ring will be here in five minutes. What paperwork do you need us to fill out?"
"Great idea," she chirped. "We should get the paperwork done right away!"
She felt Cole's eyes on her, felt herself flushing as he said, "We need a minute alone."